"True Opera:
Profit or Penance...the Price for your Soul?" is the theme for Opera @ Morgan's production of two one-act
operas, where Puccini's Suor Angelica
and Moore's The Devil and Daniel Webster
are performed back-to-back. Suor
Angelica (i.e., Sister Angelica) has been sent to a convent to do penance for
her transgressions that resulted in the birth of a child out of wedlock,
disgracing the family name. Jabez Stone,
in order to gain power, love and wealth has sold his soul to the devil (i.e. "Scratch"). Principessa, the aunt of Sister Angelica, comes
to the convent to compel Angelica to sign away her inheritance in order for Angelica's
sister to marry, and, thereby restore honor to the family name. Angelica's
desire is to be reunited with her family and son (who--unbeknownst to her--is dead). But her penance is that she must forfeit her inheritance,
while grieving the death of her young son, and living the remainder of her days
behind the walls of the convent. Scratch has come to collect Jabez Stone's
soul. Jabez is put on trial by Scratch, defended by
the great orator and famed New England lawyer, Daniel Webster before a jury of
the damned. Angelica and Jabez suffer
the lust of the heart -- and the struggle for the preservation of their souls.